


The Future King

by 1stPenname



Category: Arthurian Mythology & Related Fandoms, Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Related, M/M, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-04
Updated: 2013-08-14
Packaged: 2017-12-22 10:54:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/912360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1stPenname/pseuds/1stPenname
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin has been waiting a very long time for the once and future king to return.  When a group of university students playing in the park one day accidentally kick their football into the walking path, Merlin is sure Arthur is the one to retrieve the ball.  However, the man doesn't recognize Merlin, who then becomes determined to learn this blonde's identity.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is the first fanfic I've successfully written and published. I've read a lot of modern AU Merlin stories and I wanted to put together something that was modern but not necessarily an alternate universe. I tried to follow the canon and make something new that could possibly have occurred after the show ended.

His eyes flew open as Merlin sat up with a start. Gasping for breath, he reached over checked the alarm clock on his bedside table. The sun would come up soon. Maybe today would be the day, Merlin mused as he climbed out of bed. This dream was a bit different than the others, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up about seeing Arthur again. It had been centuries, and he found that waiting was easiest when he didn’t think about it. Merlin pulled on the same clothes he’d worn the day before, quickly washed up, and packed a small satchel. He ran out of the house as fast as his old bones would allow, and as he made his way down the path the sun came up slowly.

After a few hours of walking he had to stop and rest. He briefly considered a youth spell, but such magic was tricky after so many years, and he wanted to save it for when it was really needed. He ate some bread and fruit from his bag and started back on the trail. ‘At this rate’, Merlin thought to himself, ‘I should reach the cabin by midday’.

Merlin’s excitement upon making such good time faded however, as he approached the old wooden building. The door had been broken; it was obvious that there had been some recent forced entry. Merlin quickly scanned the woods for any nearby signs of life. He noticed a set of tracks leading up to the cabin and a set of tracks leading away. Merlin sighed; at least he didn’t need to fight off any intruders today. Cautiously, he pushed the door open and peered in. The place looked ransacked and the bed looked slept in. Merlin thought it had been some teen prank; it was not likely a case of actual theft, as he did not keep valuables in the cabin. He started to pick up when he realized that one of his journals was lying open on the floor. He hadn’t been here since he made that last entry.

_June 1945 - If these past few years weren’t Albion’s greatest need, I fear the day he returns._   
_Still I miss him._

Merlin suddenly felt the need to get home. He righted his journals onto the table, but left everything else askew. With one last look towards the lake, he turned for home.


	2. Finding Arthur

It had been about a week since Merlin visited his cabin by the lake.   Part of him still had this nagging feeling like he should go back, but the rational side of him knew that it just made things more difficult.  It was easier to pass his time if he stayed in town, tried to live a life.

Merlin decided to walk down to the local library.  Over a thousand years had gone by, and Merlin still found comfort in the written word.   He walked slowly, not in any particular hurry, when suddenly a ball landed in his path.   He heard the youth responsible for the wayward kick yell apologies, and as he bent down to pick up the ball he realized a blond had run up to claim it. 

“Thanks mate.  Sorry our match has interrupted your walk,” The young blonde man reached for the ball.

“Arthur?” Merlin whispered.

The man gave Merlin a quizzical look, and ran back to his friends, apologizing again over his shoulder.  Merlin stood staring at the football match longer than appropriate.  Finally he pulled himself together, shook his head and kept walking.  He tried not to think of the young man who looked identical to the Arthur he remembered.  He had difficulty focusing on the new selection of books, and finally gave up to pull some books from the Arthurian section of the library.   He had practically memorized every one but he just couldn’t think of anything but Arthur. 

Stowing his books in his satchel, he walked the extra two blocks to his antique shop.  He usually just left the shop to a handful of employees but after his run in with the football he felt the need to see if there had been any useful books added to the shops collection recently. 

“Good afternoon Mr. Page,” a cheerful salesgirl greeted him as he walked in, “Mark didn’t say that you were coming in today, should I fetch him?”

Merlin shook his head, “No thank you Sally, I’m here on personal business rather than professional.  I just want to take a look at the books.”

“Of course sir,” She replied smiling, “let me know if you need anything.”

Merlin thanked her and made his way to the back of the store, still unable to think of anything other than Arthur.  After finally admitting that he wasn’t going to find anything useful he slumped down in a nearby chair.  He continued to replay the meeting in his head over and over again.  The encounter at the football field did last less than five minutes; maybe it wasn’t really him.  Merlin tried to convince himself that it was a trick of the light, or of his old age.  He had stopped counting his birthdays several hundred years ago; maybe it was finally time to let go.   Or maybe, Merlin mused, maybe Arthur simply didn’t recognize him as an old man.  He jumped out of his chair with so much excitement that he startled Sally, the salesgirl on duty this afternoon.  She asked him if he was feeling all right, but received little reply.  Merlin ran out of the shop with a little wave and a murmured assurance that everything would be all right soon.

 

__________________ * * * ____________________________________ * * * __________________

 

Merlin was overly excited as he summoned a nearby cab.   He didn’t want to waste time walking home, even though he usually preferred it.  He overpaid the cabbie and rushed up his front steps.  As soon as he was inside his front doors he began to gather the necessary ingredients for a potion to make himself appear younger.  

Merlin had been unaging every eighty years or so to start over.  Sometimes he would move, often he would change his name.  Then he would age again and start a new life; always a life of waiting though.  Waiting for Arthur.  Currently he was living as Melvyn Page.   He liked to pick names that were similar to his own, or sometimes he would choose a name for its meaning.   Merlin began using random popular surnames when last names had become a necessity, but over the last couple years he alternated between Page and Emerson.  They reminded him of where he started.

As soon as the spell at taken hold, Merlin changed into more suitable clothes for someone in their early twenties and was immediately impressed with his new youthful vigor.   When living as an elderly man, Merlin always forgot how much easier it was to be active as a young person.   He ran out the door, almost forgetting to lock up and didn’t stop until he reached the field where the match was being held before. 

Merlin was almost out of breath when he reached the field, and he looked around desperately for any sign of Arthur.   There were some children playing on a nearby playground and, presumably, their mothers chatting nearby.  There were dog walkers and bikers along the trails.  Unfortunately though, the match had ended, the players had dispersed, and Merlin couldn’t see anyone who looked remotely like Arthur. 


	3. A New Look

Merlin walked by the park every day; twice a day. Often he would set off around the same time he saw Arthur on that first day and sit in the park for a half an hour at least, sometimes up to five hours. He would bring a book and try to look inconspicuous. Then he would walk to town. He looked for Arthur everywhere he went, but if Arthur was real, Merlin didn’t find him.

Merlin went to his antique shop. He knew no one would recognize him as the elderly Mr. Page, so he went with his real name, hoping that maybe his unusual name would reach Arthur somehow. He kept the surname though, and claimed to be Melvyn’s grandson. He even wrote himself a letter of recommendation and tried not to openly laugh at Mark, the manager, who read it over thoughtfully

“Well,” Mark finally said to Merlin, “it is unusual for a businessman to hire his grandson with just a letter recommendation and not introduce you to use in person. But then again, your grandfather was a bit unusual. No offence. He just wasn’t the usual hands-on business owner, if you know what I mean.”

Merlin simply nodded, keeping his comments to himself.

“So it says here, that you are to make your own schedule and get experienced with the business. Catalogue the antiques and talk to customers. I do most of the ordering and buying but sometimes someone comes in to sell an antique. Let me introduce you to the sales team and they can help you get set up.”

Merlin thanked Mark, following him around the store as he introduced Merlin to people he already knew. Merlin shook hands and smiled, knowing that he was starting over again, and that these people could never know his true past.

 

__________________ * * * ____________________________________ * * * __________________

 

On Saturday, a week after he first had the incident with the football, he arrived just as the match had begun. Of course! Merlin thought to himself shaking his head, this was a weekend gathering. A group of university aged students playing football in the middle of the day; of course they wouldn’t be back to play during the week. Since he didn’t want to interrupt, he sat on his usual bench and pulled out his book.

He had brought “The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights” by Sir James Knowles. It was his own worn copy of the text; he couldn’t help but purchase almost every text available on what the modern world considered to be “Arthurian legends”. Merlin had hoped the cover might attract Arthur, even if he didn’t recognize Merlin. He kept one eye on Arthur throughout the match. He didn’t want any of the players to think Merlin was a stalker though so he did try to read a bit, it wasn’t his favorite version of the story, but the author had used an archaic version of English that reminded Merlin of the past.

As the match ended, he realized he didn’t have plan of how he would approach Arthur. He was talking with some of the men on his team and others were clapping him on the back as they took their leave. Merlin found himself watching the group, thinking of the past. He imaged he was in the training yard and Arthur was talking to his knights. He imagined Arthur looking over at him with his cocky smile, and then, after dismissing his knights, he would have walked over to order Merlin about. He grinned despite his surroundings.

But Merlin wasn’t just imagining things. Arthur was smiling at him. And he was walking towards Merlin, some of his mates looking on with obvious amusement. For a moment, Merlin panicked. Then he smiled. He was overwhelmed with the thought that he had finally found Arthur.

“Hello friend,” Merlin said as confidently as he could.

“Do I know you?” The blonde asked.

“I’m Merlin.” He held out his hand, hoping he was just messing around. It had to be him; this man was identical to the Arthur he remembered.

“So I don’t know you,” Arthur paused as Merlin looked into his eyes, just hoping for a sign that his waiting was over, “Do I look like someone you know? Just because you called me friend, and well, you seemed to be staring at me a minute ago.”

Merlin’s smile faded “Sorry, my mistake.” . He felt like someone had ripped his heart from his chest. Putting his book away and standing up to leave, Merlin tried desperately not to show his disappointment.

“Wait,” the man said, “Do you play? Football that is.” He gestured to the field and the few of his friends who had obviously stayed behind to watch this interaction take place.

Merlin stammered, “Um well, I know how to play. Why?” “Well I just thought. I mean it’s okay if you don’t want to, but I just thought since you were watching you might want to play. We’re going to try and meet up again Wednesday afternoon, but we’ll be short a few players because some of the our regulars have class on Wednesdays.”

Merlin just stared at him. A man who looked and sounded identical to Arthur just asked him to play football. Politely. 

“Its okay, you don’t have to. I just thought you looked -- well never mind.” Now the Arthur look alike was blushing.

“No. I mean sure. That sounds like fun. What time?”

“Three o’clock. Thanks Merlin. Ill see you then.” The blonde beamed.

“Sounds great.” Merlin smiled, if he couldn’t have Arthur, at least he could have a friend. Maybe some normal social interaction would clear his mind. The man turned to leave. “Wait, you didn’t give your name.”

“Oh,” the man laughed, “Sorry about that. I’m Arthur.”

With a little wave to Merlin, he ran off to join his friends. As he watched the group leave, Merlin thought he might definitely be loosing his mind.


	4. A new Arthur

Merlin spent the next few days in a daze.  He couldn’t wait until Wednesday, and spent most of his time thinking of ways to get Arthur to spend time with him after the game.  Maybe if they could just spend some time alone Merlin could figure it all out.  This had to be more than just a coincidence. 

When Wednesday finally did arrive, Merlin was beside himself.  He had purchased new football gear earlier in the week and even watched a few older matches on the Internet to make sure he didn’t look too foolish.   Merlin spent most of the morning pacing around his living room, unable to focus on any meaningful tasks, and was dressed in his gear shortly after lunch.  He arrived at the fields early and ran a lap around the field. 

Soon after, Arthur arrived with a carload of guys.  They were laughing and chatting as they walked over to the field.  Merlin felt like a child on the first day of school. 

“Hey Merlin,” Arthur called as he approached.  He sat next to Merlin to change into his football boots, and introduced everyone.   After a few minutes more players showed up; Merlin felt even more like the new kid at school with each introduction.  Arthur seemed to be the leader, which made Merlin oddly proud of him.  He divvied up the players into two teams, and then explained that they were still short a couple of people and would be playing seven on seven.  Merlin wasn’t sure how that would affect the game; he was just happy to be on Arthur’s team. 

They played mostly for fun, which turned out to be good for Merlin.   Other than walking as a means of transportation, he hadn’t done much exercise in awhile.  He tried to remember the last time he participated in any sports, and drew a blank.  He certainly didn’t have the level of skill that everyone else seemed to have.  They played for about an hour; someone set their mobile’s timer to thirty minutes for each half.

When the game ended, Merlin realized he still hadn’t thought of an excuse to see Arthur again.  He kept Arthur in his sight as he made his way over to the bench to change back into his trainers.  Just when Merlin thought he would have to interrupt to get a word with Arthur, he turned from his group of friends and walked over to Merlin. 

  
“Hey a few of us are going to get a bite down at the new pizza shop, wanna’ join?”

“Sure,” Merlin replied as they walked towards the parking area. 

Merlin climbed into Arthur’s car with his roommates, Jack and Liam. It was easy to fall in with their conversation, and, as the night wore on, Merlin found that he was enjoying himself.   

After pizza, Merlin insisted on walking even though Arthur offered him a ride home.  He felt the need to walk, to clear his head.   Although they spent quite a bit of time together, Merlin realized he didn’t learn as much about this new Arthur as he would have liked. The four boys roomed together and attended the local university.  Jack, and Liam had mentioned family and friends from their hometowns, but Arthur hadn’t even said where he was from.  Merlin had to lie, of course: just moved to town and working at his late grandfather’s antique store. 

Over the next few weeks, Merlin tried to be a normal 20-something kid in the twenty-first century.  He still wasn’t sure how this new Arthur had come about but he didn’t want to worry too much about it.  This was a second chance.  The last time Merlin had been twenty he was a servant in the royal household, during a time without technology.    After he lost Arthur, he had always been searching, hoping, waiting.  

Now, Merlin was free from waiting.  He went to work at the antique store and befriended his employees.  He spent time with Arthur and his mates, although they designated him as scorekeeper after his first performance with the football.   Merlin was happy.

 

  __________________ * * * ____________________________________ * * * __________________

 

One afternoon, when Merlin was dusting some antiques in the back of the store, Sally came rushing towards him.  She grabbed his arm, and he turned in alarm.

“What has gotten into you?’

“You didn’t tell me your handsome friend was coming to visit today?”

“What?” Merlin was surprised, “Who’s here?”

“He says his name is Arthur.  Are you two . . . ?” She eyed Merlin suspiciously.

“Are we what?”

“Together?” She paused to judge Merlin’s expression, which was clearly one of surprise, and maybe a bit of embarrassment?  She couldn’t really tell. “I mean if you are that’s fine, but if you’re not could you maybe introduce us sometime. “

“Yeah.  I mean no.  Um.  He fancies women.”  Merlin stammered, “Of course I’ll set something up.  We can all go out.”

Merlin barely heard her thank him as she threw her arms around him.   Merlin wondered if other people also assumed he was gay.  He hadn’t had a girlfriend in awhile, decades really.  But he hadn’t really ever thought about his sexuality.  A thousand years ago people didn’t date or marry someone of the same gender.  It just wasn’t done.  What people did in the brothel or their bedroom was their own business and generally wasn’t discussed.  But courting was usually meant to lead to marriage, and marriage was meant to create children.   Of course things have changed, especially in the last fifty years or so; now you didn’t have to have children in a marriage; you didn’t even really have to have a marriage. 

“Merlin, he is waiting for you.”  Sally exclaimed.

“Of course, thanks for fetching me.”  Merlin decided to file his new thoughts away for another day.   He handed her the duster and walked to the front of the store.  Arthur was standing awkwardly in front of the counter. 

“I was downtown for some shopping and I thought I’d stop in and check out the store.”

“Well, this is it.  See anything you like?”

“Well,” Arthur smiled like Merlin had just said something particularly funny. Merlin just cocked his head to one side and looked at him, unsure of what to say next. “I also wanted to see you.  I mean, I wanted to ask you what you were doing tonight.”

“I get out of here around five and then I didn’t really have any plans.  Are you and the guys planning something for later?”

“No, I think they’re all busy.  I thought maybe you and I could go for a drink.” Arthur paused, “If you want that is.  I could come back around five when you get out and we could go to the pub down the street?”

“Yeah that sounds great.”

After Arthur left, Sally came out of the back room and propped herself on a nearby stool.  Swiveling around, she looked at Merlin.  “Are you sure he fancies women?”

“You were eavesdropping.”

“So what if I was?  Do you fancy him?”

“I don’t know Sally.  It all seems so odd.”  Merlin realized he had been staring at the door, and looked up at her.

“So I suppose you’ve never dated a man before?” Sally paused as Merlin shook his head, dated - no, “You’ll just have to see how tonight goes then.  It would be cute though.  With your names - Arthur and Merlin like the story.”

“Maybe he just wants a friend.  We’ve gone drinking before.”

“Maybe,” Sally conceded, “But he sounded like he wanted it to be just the two of you.  Anyway, my shift’s done, let me know how it goes when you come in tomorrow.”  She hopped off the stool and went into the back to collect her things. 

Merlin tried to focus on work, but couldn’t help thinking about what Sally had said.  How did he feel about Arthur?  Maybe this Arthur just reminded him of the past, he had waited for so long.  And of course he loved King Arthur, everyone did.  He was the king, and also, they were friends.  But it wasn’t romantic; surely Arthur loved his Queen and . . . As Merlin thought about it, he realized he had never really considered his feelings for Arthur.  They had spent nights together on quests and trips; they had saved each other’s lives; they were like family.  Merlin shook his head, he couldn’t let the past cloud his judgment tonight.  This was a new Arthur, and Merlin was doing really well at keeping the past out of this new relationship. 


	5. First Date

At five, Merlin collected his things and locked up the shop.  Arthur was outside waiting for him.  They made small talk as they walked down the road.  The pub was a bit crowded when they arrived, but they managed to find a table and put their order in.  By the time they were finished with their food, and had a few drinks, they had discussed everything from the recent sports scores to Arthur’s recent coursework.  Merlin figured things would be going much more awkwardly if this was a date, and made a mental note to mention Sally at some point. 

By the time they paid their tab they had drunk quite a bit.  The Friday night party crowd was starting to overtake the pub, as well.  The two men stumbled out of the bar, and Merlin found himself being accidently jostled by an incoming crowd.  As he went down, he reached out blindly, and the next thing he knew Arthur had his arm around Merlin and was sweeping him safely onto the sidewalk. 

“Oi! Watch where you’re walking” Merlin yelled in mock anger.

“You have a hard time staying on your feet, don’t you?” Arthur laughed as the two men walked a little ways still leaning on each other.

“You always did say I was a clumsy oaf.”

“What are you talking about?” Arthur laughed again, “I suppose we did have a few more beers than usual.  I just didn’t realize you were a light weight.”

Merlin stopped walking and furrowed his brow, thinking.  He was muddling up the past and present again; he needed to remember not to do that.

Arthur pulled his arm off of Merlin’s shoulder and placed it along the side of Merlin’s face.  Merlin had just enough time to look up in surprise before Arthur leaned in for a kiss.  As he pulled away, Arthur gently ran his fingers along Merlin’s jawline before letting his hand fall.  Merlin realized he still had one arm around Arthur’s waist and had reached up and grabbed Arthur’s collar with the other hand.  However, he just couldn’t seem to make himself let go.

 “Arthur?” he almost whispered.

“Sorry.  I should have asked.  I mean if you’re straight its totally okay, we can just be friends, and if its just me I understand too. I just thought - “ Arthur started to explain, but Merlin cut him off with another kiss.  Although the first one had been quick and comparably chaste, Merlin pushed against Arthur with this kiss. Arthur pushed back until Merlin was pressed up against the nearby building and they soon found themselves tangled in each other’s arms. When they finally pulled away, Arthur moved his hands until they rested steadily on Merlin’s arms, which were holding onto Arthur as if he would soon disappear.

“Do you want to come back to my place tonight?” Arthur asked, “We don’t have to do anything, I mean I don’t want you to feel pressured.  It’s just that I wouldn’t mind spending some more time with you.  If you want to.”

“What about the guys?” Merlin asked tentatively.

“Oh they won’t mind. They sort of, um, know that we were going out tonight.”

“You prat! You could have told me it was a date. “ Merlin laughed.

“Well if you weren’t such an idiot sometimes you might have realized.” Arthur nudged him playfully.

“Yeah then. Let’s go.” Merlin and Arthur started the journey holding hands.  Arthur found a cab willing to take them to his flat and they climbed in.  They rode in silence, but Merlin nestled in Arthur’s arms and felt more comfortable than he had in a long time. 

When they arrived in the flat, Merlin blushed as Liam and Jack let themselves out, insisting they were leaving anyway to meet some friends.  When they were safely out the door, the snogging continued as Arthur led Merlin into his room.  After awhile they settled into each other’s arms and laid there together. 

“Stay the night.  It’s too late and I know you’ll want to walk back.” Arthur said as he ran his fingers through Merlin’s hair.  Merlin groaned, but then he nestled in closer to Arthur.  He knew he should leave, but he couldn’t seem to open his eyes and get up.

The next morning, Merlin woke in a panic.  He was nestled against Arthur, who was dressed in just his underwear, either he had kicked off his jeans in the night or Arthur had helped him out of them, and he had the beginnings of a hangover.  Merlin took less than a minute to assess the situation and started to untangle himself from the bed.  He found his jeans and pulled them on.  He hesitated at the door, and then went back to the bed.  Merlin stood over his sleeping form and smiled.  He had to admit, Arthur was handsome.

Merlin leaned down and kissed Arthur on the forehead.  As he started to leave for the second time, he heard Arthur call his name quietly.  Instinctively Merlin turned around, “yes, Arthur?”

“Merlin,” Arthur said a bit more sternly, “Come back to bed.”

Merlin sat down on the edge of the bed and Arthur pulled him in for a kiss, “Sneaking off were you?”

“I just thought maybe I should get going.  I have to work today.”

“Its Saturday,” Arthur whined.

“I’m doing a short shift today - eight until noon, meet me for lunch?”

“Fine, if you insist on leaving my bed, lunch will have to do.”

Merlin laughed, kissed him again, and let himself out.  He found his shoes and jacket strewn about the living room, and was thankful to be the first one up in the flat.  He wasn’t sure what he would say to Liam or Jack while stumbling out of Arthur’s bedroom.


	6. Dreams

When Merlin finished his shift, he found himself anxious to meet with Arthur.  They had lunch at a nearby café where they were able to sit outside.  About half way through their meal, Arthur took Merlin’s hand, “I had this dream last night, and I was just thinking how right you were in it.”

“A dream?”

“Yes, and you said something so true, well I might as well tell you about it.”

Merlin nodded encouragingly.

“Well I don’t suppose we were friends in the dream.  I was taunting you and you called me an ass.  I think I was a knight and you; well I’m not sure what you were, but obviously not a knight.”  Arthur paused to think about it, “I told you I could take you apart with one blow.”

Merlin smiled at the memory, “and I said . . . “ then he stopped.   This couldn’t be a memory for this Arthur.  How could he be dreaming their past if he didn’t even know they had a past?

“You said,” Arthur continued, unaware of Merlin’s worry, “I can take you apart with less than that!  Anyway you were just like now, all scrawny and clumsy, and in the dream I was a trained knight.  So of course, I won the battle. But I wouldn’t let anyone punish you for your insolence.”

“But you said I was correct in the dream.” Merlin ventured.  

“Yes.  I’ve been thinking about you all morning.  You’ve certainly taken me apart with less than a single blow.”  Arthur leaned across the table to kiss Merlin and they both smiled. 

Although the rest of the lunch went smoothly, Merlin became determined to find out the connection between the present and the past Arthur. 

__________________ * * * ____________________________________ * * * __________________

            Merlin and Arthur’s relationship developed over the next few weeks.  Merlin became less awkward in front of their other friends, and he managed to set Sally up with Liam.  All the while though, Merlin collected books and did research online.  He started with the old Arthurian legends, specifically any that mentioned Arthur as the once and future king, and then he steered his research towards the general study of reincarnation and the nature of past lives. 

He had studied reincarnation before.   When Merlin had first heard of it, he had thought that maybe Arthur was already out there somewhere.  He searched the globe, but couldn’t find any semblance of him.  Finally Merlin gave up on his travels and stuck by the lake.   This time Merlin looked for specific cases, psychological case studies of people reliving their past lives in dreams or through hypnotherapies. 

However, no matter how hard he tried, Merlin couldn’t find a single case of someone reincarnated into the same exact body.  Although modern Arthur was a bit less pompous, he looked the same, sounded the same, and had pretty much the same personality as the Arthur Merlin remembered.  It was as if a childhood Arthur from the past had been raised in the future.  The only differences between past Arthur and modern Arthur could be attributed to the change of times and the lack of title.

Although it seemed hopeless, Merlin was determined to find some sort of explanation.  Night after night, he fell asleep over his books. 

***Bzzzz***Bzzzz*** Merlin woke with a start, rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, and realized his mobile had vibrated right off the table.  He still felt it was odd to be woken up by Arthur calling him on the telephone rather than by Arthur shouting that he was late, and Merlin had to stifle a giggle as he answered.

They arranged to spend the night at Arthur’s flat and Merlin offered to cook dinner.  He brought up a variety of groceries as soon as he got out work that evening. Arthur and Merlin cooked together and then sat down for a meal with the roommates.   This sort of night was becoming a habit for them all, and Merlin really enjoyed the familiarity of it all. 

After dinner, Arthur insisted on washing the dishes, and Merlin was left with Liam and Jack.  He didn’t have a problem with either of them, and actually found them to be good friends.  However, he needed to take this opportunity to ask them about Arthur, which he felt bad about. 

“So, I understand if this is a bit too gossipy, but I was just wondering what you knew about Arthur’s family.  He just hasn’t said, well anything about them.” Merlin inquired.

“He hasn’t even mentioned anyone from home?” Jack asked, and Merlin shook his head.

“Well, you’ve been going for two, three weeks now right?” Liam interjected.   Merlin nodded, and the other two men looked at each other.

“Should I be worried?” Merlin asked after a moment had passed.

“No, I’m sure everything is fine.  Maybe you should just ask him.” Liam suggested. 

“That’s just it.  I have tried to inquire about his past, but he just brushes off my questions.  Arthur only really talks about school, football, and current events.  He seems to have no interest in sharing his past.”

“Yeah, he doesn’t really tell us much either.” Jack said, “He just sort of showed up ya’ know?”

“Yeah, he said he answered your ad for a flat mate.”

“Yeah well, we’ve never really talked about it. But, he just sort of showed up.  The flat was already furnished so we didn’t think too much of it, but he didn’t have a thing on him except the ad when he showed up.  As time went on, no one ever came to help him move in.  We never really saw him bring boxes in.  He just sort of goes shopping now and again. “  Jack confessed nervously.

“I’m sure its nothing to worry about,” Liam said reassuringly.

“Oh I’m sure you’re right” Merlin tried to smile, and changed the subject. 

Later that night the couple excused themselves to Arthur’s bedroom.  They had made this a bit of a habit as well, kissing and snuggling into the night.  While Merlin had been preoccupied with the past earlier in the night, Arthur apparently had been thinking about other things. 

Tonight Merlin found himself undressed more quickly than usual, as Arthur practically tore off his clothes.  Soon Arthur let his kisses roam south on Merlin’s pale skin.  Merlin let out quiet moans of approval as Arthur took his length in his mouth.  Grasping Merlin’s hips and backside, Arthur slowly teased and sucked.  After a few minutes Merlin tried to reposition them so that he could reciprocate.  They were just learning how to navigate in the bedroom, so there was a bit of fumbling and sloppy wet kisses as moved about in the bed.

“Feel free to say no, but can we try something new tonight?” Arthur whispered, his hands roaming about Merlin’s body.

“What do you have in mind?” Merlin asked.  He certainly wasn’t an expert in these areas, but he was pretty sure there was only one more step to take in the bedroom.

“I was hoping you’d let me fuck you,” He noticed Merlin pause as he spoke, “I promise to be gentle.”

Arthur kissed Merlin’s neck and tried to judge his reaction, “You can say no, we can wait until you’re ready.”

Merlin pulled away a bit and looked Arthur in the eyes, “I love you.  I’m yours.”

A wide smile broke out on Arthurs face.  They hadn’t discussed love before.  The moment was certainly more intimate than either of them had experienced. 

“I love you as well.” Arthur pressed his forehead against Merlin’s, “but we can wait, if you’re not ready. “

“I’ve never, but I’d be glad to have you as my first.  I’m all yours."

They kissed again, passionate, loving, warm.  It was awkward as they tried to arrange themselves, fumbling with the sheets, but neither of them minded.  Eventually, most of the sheets had been kicked off of the bed and Arthur had arranged himself above Merlin, thrusting slowly.  Their moans rose in volume as Arthur increased his speed, finding a rhythm that suited them both.

Some time later Merlin pulled one of the sheets back onto the bed, cuddling up against Arthur.   The bottle of lube and piles of tissues ought to be taken care of, he thought briefly, and then decided it could wait until morning.  Everything could wait until morning.  Merlin wanted to stop time itself in this moment.  


	7. The Journal

Autumn was passing by quickly.   Merlin hadn’t given up his research completely, but he had mostly come to a dead end with it. He had settled on reincarnation but he wasn’t sure about the specifics.  More concerning though, he couldn’t decide on how to tell Arthur.  Merlin hated living a lie and wanted to be completely honest with Arthur.  But how do you start a conversation with: “I’m the real Merlin, and you’re the real King Arthur.  I watched you die and then had to wait for you for over a thousand years . . . ” Arthur would likely laugh in his face.  Or chuck him into a mental institution.

One morning, Merlin’s curiosity got the better of him.  He still felt like Arthur’s refusal to discuss his past was a piece to the puzzle.  Or perhaps a whole new puzzle, but either way, it seemed important. This particular morning Arthur had an early class.  With a kiss, he left Merlin in bed to go shower.   Merlin waiting until he could hear the water running, and then he began his rifling.

Merlin felt guilty about snooping through Arthur’s things, but he believed there must be some clue: a letter from home, a photo album, a journal, anything.   Merlin was starting to think there really was nothing to find, until he noticed a journal mixed in with Arthur’s school books.  On the cover Arthur had carefully written, “DREAMS”, in small letters.  So there had been more dreams?  Since the first one Arthur only mentioned them now and again, but never in any detail.   Once, Arthur crying his name in his sleep had awaked Merlin, but they didn’t speak of it in the morning. Merlin sat down at the desk and started at the beginning. 

 

_I’ve been having these dreams fairly regularly and suppose I should start writing them down.  I’m always Prince Arthur, like in the legends.  Only some things are different.  Merlin looks as he does now, not as the Merlin in the stories.  And he is my servant, not a great warlock.  I’m not sure what to make of them, but they seem so real while I’m sleeping.  I guess I’ll start at the beginning, write them all down, and see if I can figure it out._

_The first dream occurred the first night Merlin stayed over.  At least, I don’t remember having any dreams like this before then.  I don’t like who I am in this first dream. But it’s where I meet Merlin.  He stands up to me._

 

 

Merlin scrolls through the first few pages that describe their first meeting.  He reads Arthur’s writing of how he was appointed manservant to Arthur, and how they slowly became friends.  Arthur’s writing became emotional when he wrote about certain things: Merlin drinking poison for him, Lancelot being banished, defending Ealdor, the unicorn curse.  When he dreamt about a monster, a sketch accompanied the description.

Merlin skipped around in the journal.  Arthur had filled almost half the journal with memories, or dreams as he thought they were. Although some events seemed to blend together, training with the knights, having dinner with Uthur and Morgana, hunting trips, most of the events seemed to occur in chronological order.  From what Merlin could remember, it seemed that Arthur had dreamt over a years worth of memories in a few short weeks.  What would happen when Arthur ran out of memories?   What would happen when he remembered his death?

Merlin realized then that the shower was no longer running.  He couldn’t remember how long it had been shut off.  Quickly he shoved the journal back under the pile of books on the desk and began collecting his clothes just as Arthur came back in the room.  Arthur closed the door quietly behind him and pulled Merlin close. 

Merlin nuzzled into Arthur’s neck, “mmm. You smell good. Sure you have to go?”

“Yeah, but I can be back in a few hours.  Will you wait for me in bed?”

“I would if I could. I haven’t been home in a few days; I should probably do some laundry, clean out the fridge, domestic stuff. ”

“Maybe you’ll invite me over to yours then.”

“Maybe.   But why would I do that when we have all that we need right here?”

“Come on Merlin,” Arthur whined as he got dressed, “I want to see where you live. Or where you did live before you started taking over my place.” 

He had picked up a shirt just to realize it was Merlin’s.  Arthur threw him the shirt and added, “please?”

“Oh fine. If you are going to be like that, how can I refuse?  I don’t think there is any food there though, so how about I meet you at the market around four and then we can go together?”

Arthur agreed and gave Merlin a quick kiss before gathering his books and heading out. 


	8. Camlann

As soon as Merlin arrived at his place, he set about cleaning it up.  He lived in a small cottage on the edge of the woods.  Merlin designed the layout and had it built almost seventy years ago, when he permanently abandoned his cabin closer to the lake.  He hadn’t invited anyone over during his entire time living there; it looked more like Gaius’ old chambers than a modern home.  A loft constituted as Merlin’s bedroom, while the main floor was a mix between kitchen, living room, science lab, and library.   With an open layout, the only separate room was the bathroom and a cupboard beneath the stairs, if that constituted as a room.

Merlin tried to blend in during his every day life; he wasn’t sure what would happen if anyone found out about his magic today.  He had also lived so long he worried his magic would run out. But in the comfort of his own home, he still used it occasionally.  Today he needed it.  There was no way he could clean the entire cottage before the afternoon. 

His bookshelves were already overflowing, so he sent the library books on reincarnation scuttling under his bed.  He felt scooped up the vials and science equipment and tried to put everything away with some sort of organization. After that, it was mostly just general housekeeping and throwing out any experiments that had been long forgotten. 

When it became time to fetch Arthur, Merlin looked around disapprovingly.  The place was clean now, but it still looked a bit disheveled.  I look like a hoarder, Merlin thought sadly.  Of course, after this many years, he was bound to have quite a collection. 

Arthur, to Merlin’s surprise, didn’t make any negative comments when he walked in the door. 

“Well, this is cozy,” Arthur said instead, “I don’t know why you haven’t invited me over earlier.”  He surveyed the place while Merlin put away the groceries and began to fix a meal.  Occasionally Arthur would pick up a book or a knick-knack and look it over. 

“Your room is up there?” Arthur asked, indicating the stairs.  Merlin nodded. “Did the architect not believe in walls?”

Merlin laughed, “I was the architect.  An open studio is better for lighting and heating efficiency.”

“You couldn’t be the architect, this building is at least fifty years old.”

“Oh well, I didn’t mean me, literally,” Merlin backtracked, realizing his mistake, “The building is in my family.  My, um, grandfather designed and built the place.”

“Did he leave you many of his things too?  A lot of these books are really old.” Arthur asked, picking up a particularly dusty volume from one of the top shelves.

Merlin simply nodded.  He hated lying.  He felt like he was always lying to Arthur, always keeping a secret.  Merlin just wanted to tell Arthur the truth, about everything.

__________________ * * * ____________________________________ * * * __________________

 

A few days later, Merlin had finally had enough.  He didn’t know if he could tell Arthur the whole truth, but he wanted to at least discuss some of his worries and see what Arthur would figure out on his own.

Merlin waiting until they were alone at his place, an unlikely spot to be interrupted.  They were tangled on Merlin’s sofa, each with a book in hand.  Merlin figured it was a good as time as any. 

“Arthur,” He started, closing up his own book and sliding it under the sofa, “Arthur I wanted to ask you something.”

“Of course. What is it?”

"Have you had any more of those dreams?  Ya know, the ones where you are the real Prince Arthur?”

“Yes,” he started hesitantly, “I guess so.  It’s become sort of a reoccurring theme.”

“Reoccurring?” Merlin asked, “How often do you have them?”

“Every night.” Arthur replied shortly.  He sat up, forcing Merlin to rearrange himself on the sofa as well.

“Every night! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t have to tell you everything Merlin.  Your not my mum.”

“But didn’t you think it was a bit odd that you’ve been having dreams along the same theme? Didn’t you want to tell anyone?”

“Of course it’s odd Merlin, but it’s not really anyone else’s business.  They’re just dreams.”

“What was it last night?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Why not?  Was it upsetting?” Arthur glared at Merlin.  “Okay, well, tell me about us in the dream.  You said in the first dream we were fighting.”

 “We don’t fight anymore, not really.  We are friends in the dream.  Well, sort of.  You are my servant, my most trusted servant.”  Arthur smiled, and Merlin nodded, indicating for him to continue, “But we’re not lovers in the dream, like now.  I’m married. I am king and I have a queen.  Guinevere, and I love her.  Or at least I do in the dream, it feels so real.”

Merlin didn’t know what to say.  Would telling him the truth now create a guilty conscious about Guinevere?  He simply held Arthur’s hand and encouraged him to continue. 

“We were just friends, but I still needed you by my side.  I needed you to go with me, into my final battle and you left.  In last night’s dream, you left me.  You looked so sad to go as you made your excuses, but I was still disappointed in you.  I called you a coward, I told you that:

_I always thought you were the bravest man I ever met.  I guess I was wrong._

As Arthur repeated those words to Merlin, he felt like he was back in the moment.  He suppressed the sadness welling up inside him as he recalled saying goodbye to his King, unable to tell him the truth then, unable to tell him the truth now. 

“I’m not going to leave you Arthur.”

“I know that.” He replied haughtily, “Even if I have to keep telling myself that it was just a dream, dreams are just dreams.”

“Please, let me know about the next one.” Merlin sighed.  He knew that there would only be a few more, but he wasn’t sure what would happen next. 

__________________ * * * ____________________________________ * * * __________________

 

That night, Arthur slept at home, by himself.  Merlin wanted to come over, but Arthur protested - saying he needed to stay up to study.  It wasn’t entirely untrue.  He did need to study.  But mostly, Arthur was worried about his next dream.  He was worried and he didn’t want to discuss it with Merlin.  Arthur wasn’t sure what it was, but he had this nagging feeling that he needed to deal with the dreams on his own.  He fell asleep quickly and was immediately deposited into the dream.

_Arthur rode out of Camelot with his knights and the entire Camelot army.  Guinevere insisted on riding with them.  Merlin still hadn’t returned._

_“This is it.  Camlann.  The fate of the Kingdom will be decided here.” Arthur told his knights.  Leon worried that it was ”a death trap”. “Either life or death, it ends here.”_

_Guinevere smiled at him, as he poured over maps and war plans.  She reassured Arthur that he was a wise king.  He carried her to their bed._

_Arthur woke with a start, Guinevere at his side, Merlin had warned him about a hidden path.  He needed to prepare his army. “Not only do we fight for our lives, but we fight for the future.”_

_Morgana’s army marched upon them.  Arthur raised his sword, and his army followed him into battle following.  Swords clashing. Men falling._

_A dragon flew overhead, breathing fire upon the battle.   Arthur barely had time to think.  He kept fighting.  Morgana’s men surrounded him.  He kept fighting.  He found himself facing too many men.  A lightning bolt crashed into the men as Arthur prepared to swing his sword.  He looked up surprised.  There was a sorcerer on the hillside, striking down the enemy. Arthur was puzzled.  Why would a sorcerer help him?_

_Arthur surveyed the battlefield, glad of the victory but saddened by their losses.  He closed the eyes of a dead man, only to be snuck up upon by an enemy soldier.  He turned around and was completely surprised.  Mordrid. Mordrid who was once a loyal knight thrust a sword in his stomach._

_“Merlin! Where have you been?”  Arthur’s side was in so much pain, but he was just relieved to see Merlin again.  Babbling Merlin. Always babbling on about something._

_“Merlin, you are not a sorcerer.  I would know.” Arthur was dumfounded.  How could he have been friends with a sorcerer all this time?_


	9. Discovery

Arthur woke with a start.  The end of the dream had been very hazy.   Merlin tried desperately to carry him to the lake, but he died in Merlin’s arms in the end. The last thing he had seen in the dream was Merlin’s devastated face; the last thing he heard was Merlin calling his name.

Arthur was drenched in his own sweat; he was shaken to the core.  He knew he was alive, but the dream felt so real.  It was barely midnight, but he knew he couldn’t go back to sleep.  Quietly he dressed and began pacing around his room. Arthur didn’t want to add this dream to his book; he didn’t want to relive it through writing.   He could still hear Merlin, calling his name, begging him to stay alive.

Arthur threw open his bedroom door and found his shoes.  He began walking towards the edge of town.  I must be loosing my mind, Arthur thought, but still he kept walking.  When Arthur reached the woods, he didn’t turn up the path towards Merlin’s place.  Instead he found a path leading deeper into the woods.   He followed the voice in his head, calling him towards the lake. 

Arthur walked quickly until he reached a little abandoned cabin.  He climbed the rickety steps, feeling a sense of deja vu.  The door was unlocked, and appeared broken.  The sun had just begun to rise, giving just barely enough light to see as Arthur surveyed the cabin.  He pulled out his mobile and opened up a flashlight app.   He felt drawn to a little rickety table covered with old leather-bound books.  Scanning them with his light, he realized they had no titles and were handwritten, journals perhaps.   At random he picked one up and let it fall open to a random page.

_1801  - I’ve just returned from travels.  Over two years there has been no sign of him. I thought maybe he was needed in some other part of the world.  If he was, I missed him._

_Every day, I miss him.  Sometimes I think I will go mad.  Sometimes I think I cannot wait any longer.  But really, I need him.  I will wait forever.  I will travel to the ends of the earth and back again.  I will do whatever it takes.  Just to see Arthur again._

Arthur furrowed his brow.  His name has been fairly common over the centuries, but it still felt a bit odd.  He flipped through the book again.   This time the page contained dates, but shorter entries.

 

_January 1, 1900 - Spent New Year’s Eve here.  No sign._

_March 24, 1900 - No_

_August 1900 - No_

_October 1901 - Been here all month.  No sign._

_July 5, 1901 - No_

_September 14, 1901 - No_

_December 1901 - Almost another year has passed, another year without him._

 

The page continued in such a manner.   The dates were random; the entries were short and negative.   He flipped to the end of the book and found blank pages.  He turned them back one by one, carefully, until he found the last entry.

_June 1945 - If these past few years weren’t Albion’s greatest need, I fear the day he returns._

_Still I miss him._

Arthur dropped the book.  He had read those words somewhere before.  Maybe he had dreamt them.  Pressing his hands to his temples, Arthur closed his eyes and tried to remember.  The only thing that came to him was a headache. 

Arthur felt his knees go weak, and he blindly threw his arm out to grab anything to stabilize himself.  He found it impossible as he fell to the ground and closed his eyes.

__________________ * * * ____________________________________ * * * __________________

 

When Arthur woke, it was dark again and he was lying in a bed.  Dreams and reality were melding together as Arthur tried to sort out where he was.  He let out a low groan in response to the pounding in his head.  Slowly he sat up.  A figure on the other side of the room stood quickly, and whispered his name.

“Merlin?” Arthur didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Arthur,” Merlin started again tentatively, walking towards Arthur, “I tried to call you.  Liam said you ran out in the middle of the night.  No one knew where you went.”

“Merlin. I . . . I remember.”

Merlin abruptly stopped walking, “You remember?”

“I remember everything.”

“What happened when you came here?” Merlin asked cautiously.

Arthur described his last dream slowly.  He told Merlin how he walked for hours, until he found the cabin.  He explained how he skimmed through the journals, and how it all slowly dawned on him.

“I think I fainted, and that is the last thing I remember. “

“I found you on the floor.  I thought I’d lost you again, but you were breathing fine so I put you in the bed.  You slept through a whole day. “ Merlin responded, still standing in the middle of the room, unsure if he should keep his distance.

“Those are your journals, aren’t they?”

“Yes.  I waited for such a long time.”

“That’s why you were staring at me during the football match.”  Merlin nodded.  “But why did you never tell me?  How could you just let us carry on like that and you didn’t even mention it?”

Merlin winced, “I’m sorry Arthur.  I just didn’t want to lose you.  I was afraid you wouldn’t believe me.”

“And the magic!” Arthur exclaimed as if he just remembered, “First you go all that time not telling me you had magic, and then you go all this time not telling me that I was dreaming memories.  Did you make me dream about Camelot?” 

Merlin tried to respond, but Arthur was on a roll now, “Or did you make me forget.  Why did I forget?  I can’t believe I forgot my whole life.  I can’t believe I forgot Camelot.   Where is Camelot for that matter?  There are no castles here.  No evidence that Camelot even existed.  What happened to all that I built?  How did I forget my family, the knights, Guinevere?  Guinevere!  Where is Guinevere?  Didn’t she wait for me too?   How did I forget Guinevere?  I just set her aside for you.  You, and I; I cant believe I’ve been so improper.  I’m supposed to be King.  Am I still King?”

Arthur sighed, holding his head in his hands.  Neither man spoke for a few moments. “Come here Merlin.”

Merlin slowly walked over to where Arthur was sitting.  He kneeled before his King, “I’m sorry sire.  I truly am.  There are some things I still don’t understand, but I will explain what I do know.”

“Look at me,” Arthur ordered gently, “This is difficult for me.  Remembering the past and also trying to sort out what my life has been these past few months.”

“I’m sorry.  I tried to figure out what happened.  I wasn’t sure how you were brought back; I was just so glad that you were.  I should have tried harder, sire, I understand if you are,” Merlin paused, unsure of the right word, “upset with my actions.” 

“Do you regret your actions?  Do you regret being with me?” Arthur asked.  After a moment of silence he continued, “I’m a bit confused by our new relationship, but I’m certainly not upset about it.”

Merlin simply looked up at Arthur, doe eyed.   This was precisely why I hadn’t said anything, Merlin thought; there was little for him to say without making things awkward. 

“I’m not king anymore either.  Am I?”  Merlin shook his head, “Then you don’t have to call me sire anymore.   And get off your knees while we figure this out. “

He patted the bed, next to where he was seated, and Merlin sat down, “Now where do we start?”

They talked for hours.  Merlin had to remind Arthur to ask one question at a time, but eventually they had shared everything they knew.   Merlin told Arthur how they all mourned his death, and of the subsequent years until everyone they had ever known had also died.  Merlin described his time waiting; how sometimes he would travel and sometimes he would stay close to the lake.  He told of how he had to change his identity.  He told of how Camelot fell and life went on.  Wars, plague, and famine all made Merlin hopeful for Arthur’s return, but nothing seemed to be a big enough need.  Sometimes Merlin would meet someone and try to have a normal life with friends or a family.  Sometimes he would despair over his losses and become a hermit for a decade or ten.  

When Merlin had finished, Arthur told of how he had actually climbed out of the lake and found the cabin for the first time.  He explained that he broke down the door feeling drawn to the place.  Merlin had put some spells on the cabin to ward off others and call for Arthur, but he was still surprised they had worked.  Arthur told of how he found the journals the first time and panicked.  He couldn’t fathom living in a new world without everyone he had ever known.  He wished he could forget.  He was heartbroken and didn’t think he could live with such knowledge.

After careful consideration, Merlin thought his magic surrounding the cabin might have misinterpreted Arthur’s wish, holding his true past and identity while giving him a false identity.   Merlin described how he had found the cabin broken into and didn’t know what had happened.   They both described what they remembered of the days leading up to the initial and secondary meeting at the park, now occasionally interrupting each other. 

When they finished, neither man knew exactly what to say.  After several minutes, Arthur finally broke the silence.

“I always knew there was something odd about you Merlin, I just couldn’t quite put my finger on it.”

Merlin laughed, “What do we do now?”

“I’m not sure why the universe deemed it appropriate for me to return now, but I do know that I want you by my side.”

“Of course I’ll be here.  For anything you need.  I’ve waited for you.  I’ll always be here to serve you.”

“Merlin.  I need you. I’m not sure how to say it, but if you’ll still have me I’d like to continue being more than friends.”

Merlin threw his arms around Arthur.  He would have been satisfied in going back to how things were, just to be by Arthur’s side, but having to forget the intimacy of the past few months would have been disappointing.

“Of course I’ll still have you.  I love you Arthur.  I suppose I always have.”

“I love you too.” Arthur murmured before pulling Merlin in for a passionate kiss.  “Then again, you are always welcome to call me sire.  Now that I think of it, we could always reenact our old roles in the bedroom sometime.”

“You prat.” Merlin replied, giving a playful shove. “Lets go home.”


	10. Epilogue

It took Merlin and Arthur awhile to adjust to their new life.  At first Arthur didn’t want to leave Merlin’s cottage, finding it difficult to face his new life knowing how much he had lost and that so much had changed.  His dreams still occurred, at random though, and often times he would wake screaming or crying.  Merlin did his best to be comforting, but he insisted that they always remember.

Arthur became a sort of meld between his old self and his modern self.  There were times when he wanted to send people away for being disrespectful.  There were times when he was accidently shoved in a crowded hallway or he was being ignored by a saleswoman and he just wanted to shout at the world: “I am Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot and you bloody well should show some respect!!”  But he did not shout, or order people about.  Although he still complained at home, in the moment he tried to follow Merlin’s advice.  Instead of shouting, Arthur would close his eyes, count to ten, and remind himself: “I am no longer Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot.  I am Arthur Baldric, student and intern.  I may not order people about, I must be respectful and earn the respect of others.”

Over time, Arthur became used to the occasional incident, and had to remind himself less.   As he earned new titles and the accompanying respect, he felt proud of how much he could achieve on his own.  Over the years, Arthur and Merlin moved about while Arthur began his career in politics.  As soon as Arthur was in a position to, he hired Merlin as his personal assistant. 

Coworkers and friends said that they couldn’t understand how Merlin and Arthur worked so closely; they joked that the two of them spent too much time together and that their bickering was the result.  But Merlin and Arthur wouldn’t have it any other way.  Merlin had actually missed how Arthur teased him, Arthur loved seeing Merlin at all hours of the day and night, and they both worried about losing each other again.

Neither one of them knew quite why Arthur had been brought back at this point in time.  They really weren’t sure what their destiny was supposed to be.  But they were happy to be together, figuring it out one day at a time. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for those who have been reading as I've posted chapters. I hope you have enjoyed reading it.


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